Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Iquique Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Iquique

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in La Serena versus $1,045 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in La Serena versus $1,709 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,459 in La Serena versus $2,374 in Iquique.

Monthly costs are close between La Serena and Iquique; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 22% lower, Iquique 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 CLP 7,063

$8.01 CLP 7,170

-1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 CLP 46.1K

$42.47 CLP 38.0K

21.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 CLP 7,999

$7.18 CLP 6,425

24.51%

Cappuccino

$2.96 CLP 2,651

$3.68 CLP 3,294

-19.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CLP 1,000

$1.30 CLP 1,165

-13.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 CLP 601

$1.02 CLP 912

-34.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 CLP 1,908

$3.50 CLP 3,130

-39.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CLP 3,672

$3.75 CLP 3,358

9.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,103

$1.16 CLP 1,037

6.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CLP 2,220

$1.17 CLP 1,050

111.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,369

$1.37 CLP 1,229

11.68%

Eggs

$3.94 CLP 3,523

$3.58 CLP 3,199

10.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 CLP 11.7K

$10.59 CLP 9,476

23.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 CLP 5,332

$6.58 CLP 5,886

-9.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 CLP 11.9K

$10.97 CLP 9,817

20.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 CLP 1,778

$1.82 CLP 1,632

9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,655

$2.27 CLP 2,029

-18.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 CLP 1,192

$1.58 CLP 1,414

-15.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,328

$1.11 CLP 997

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 CLP 1,071

$0.82 CLP 735

46.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 CLP 1,169

$0.63 CLP 562

107.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 CLP 1,011

$1.22 CLP 1,090

-7.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 CLP 813

$1.19 CLP 1,063

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 CLP 4,770

$5.30 CLP 4,739

0.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 CLP 4,918

$8.38 CLP 7,497

-34.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 925

$1.56 CLP 1,394

-33.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CLP 2,014

$2.30 CLP 2,055

-2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 CLP 988

$0.68 CLP 608

61.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.15 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 CLP 683

$0.51 CLP 457

49.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 1,843

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 CLP 11.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 CLP 1,343

$1.43 CLP 1,276

4.90%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K CLP 19.0M

$19.4K CLP 17.3M

9.65%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$13.1K CLP 11.8M

$21.7K CLP 19.4M

-39.28%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$92.8 CLP 83.0K

$81.7 CLP 73.1K

13.64%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.41 CLP 10.2K

$13.61 CLP 12.2K

-16.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 CLP 20.3K

$22.34 CLP 20.0K

1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.44 CLP 32.6K

$42.96 CLP 38.4K

-15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.62 CLP 19.3K

$21.01 CLP 18.8K

2.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 CLP 7,914

$5.54 CLP 4,953

59.75%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$438 CLP 392.0K

$440 CLP 393.9K

-0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.54 CLP 40.7K

$32.41 CLP 29.0K

40.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.87 CLP 27.6K

$24.37 CLP 21.8K

26.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 CLP 88.4K

$48.10 CLP 43.0K

105.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CLP 99.8K

$61.7 CLP 55.2K

80.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 CLP 327.8K

$449 CLP 401.7K

-18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 CLP 255.4K

$388 CLP 347.3K

-26.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 CLP 927.8K

$740 CLP 661.6K

40.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 CLP 633.2K

$839 CLP 750.5K

-15.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,236 CLP 2.0M

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

16.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 CLP 1.3M

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

-31.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 CLP 691.6K

$1,018 CLP 911.2K

-24.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.5

-13.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for La Serena: June 1, 2026

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in La Serena and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 32% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $51.0 in La Serena vs $42.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $227 per month, with Iquique cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

La Serena vs Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Iquique earns 32% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $366 in La Serena versus $449 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $438 in La Serena versus $440 in Iquique. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Iquique gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Iquique wins on affordability, La Serena on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.